What Does an EMDR Intensive Cost in Florida? A Transparent Breakdown
If you're considering an EMDR intensive, one question is probably sitting at the front of your mind before any other: what is this going to cost me?
It's a fair question, and an oddly hard one to get a straight answer to. Many therapy websites bury pricing, list "contact us for rates," or quote a per-hour figure that tells you almost nothing about the total. So let's do the opposite here. Below is a clear, honest breakdown of what EMDR intensives cost in Florida, what's included, how my own pricing works, and how the math compares to months of weekly sessions.
I've been a Licensed Professional Counselor since 1999 and offer Christian, trauma-informed EMDR intensives to adults across Florida, Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina. The goal of this article isn't to sell you on an intensive : it's to help you decide whether the investment makes sense for your situation.
What Is an EMDR Intensive (and Why It's Priced Differently)
A standard EMDR arrangement looks like weekly 50-minute sessions stretched over months. An EMDR intensive condenses that work into longer, focused blocks : three-hour sessions : sometimes spread across more than one day.
The reason this matters for pricing is simple: an intensive isn't billed like a single weekly therapy hour. Extended sessions allow the nervous system to stay engaged long enough for meaningful change to occur, which is the whole point of the format : deeper focus, fewer disruptions between sessions, and greater nervous-system integration.
EMDR Therapy Cost in Florida: The Real Ranges
Here's the honest landscape across Florida, based on what practices currently charge.
Single (weekly) EMDR sessions: in Florida generally run from around $150 to $350+ per session, depending on the therapist's experience and session length. Highly experienced trauma specialists sit at the upper end of that range, and some premium providers charge more.
EMDR intensives: are often priced as bundled packages, and across Florida those packages commonly fall somewhere between roughly $1,500 and $3,000, depending on the total hours involved, the format, and the therapist's experience. A half-day intensive sits toward the lower end; a comprehensive two-to-three-day intensive for complex trauma sits toward the higher end.
My EMDR Intensive Pricing
I keep my pricing simple and transparent:
$145 per hour, offered in 3-hour blocks
$435 per 3-hour block
Self-pay only (not billed through insurance)
Christian EMDR intensives are offered on a limited basis and require a consultation to determine fit. We'll confirm the right number of blocks for your goals during a free consultation call, so you know your total before you commit to anything.
At $145/hour, this rate sits below the typical Florida market for experienced, EMDR-trained trauma work : which means you're getting focused, intensive care without the premium price tag that often comes with it.
What's Actually Included
The intensive isn't just the processing block. The full arrangement is built around three phases:
Preparation & assessment : we map your goals, history, and what you most want to address, so the intensive time is spent on the real work rather than getting oriented.
Intensive EMDR sessions : the extended three-hour processing block(s) where the deep work happens.
Integration & follow-up : making sure the work settles and holds after the intensive.
For clients who want it, faith-integrated care : prayer, Scripture, and faith-based reflection : is woven in at your pace and never imposed. It's included as part of the work, not an add-on.
Self-Pay Only: What That Means for You
My intensives are self-pay and not offered through insurance. It's worth being upfront about why this is common for intensive trauma work, and what it actually means for you.
Going self-pay keeps your care free from the constraints insurance places on therapy : required diagnoses on your permanent record, session limits, and authorization from a third party deciding what your treatment should look like. The work stays between you and your therapist, directed entirely by your goals rather than by what a plan will approve.
Because there's no insurance billing involved, you'll always know your cost in advance: $435 per 3-hour block, with the number of blocks confirmed before you begin. No surprise statements, no out-of-network claims to chase.
Is an EMDR Intensive Worth the Cost?
The cost of an intensive is easier to weigh when you compare it to the full course of weekly therapy it's designed to accelerate.
Consider math. Weekly therapy at $150-$200 per session, sustained over six months, lands somewhere around $3,600-$5,200 : and that's assuming steady, uninterrupted progress. Trauma work in weekly format often doesn't move in a straight line: you open something difficult, the 50 minutes runs out, and a week passes before you can pick it back up. That stop-and-start rhythm is part of why some people feel stuck despite months of effort.
An intensive compresses that timeline. For the right person, that can mean:
Fewer total hours to reach meaningful resolution
Less time spent living with active symptoms
No loss of momentum between sessions
A schedule that fits people who can't commit to standing weekly appointments
It isn't right for everyone, and an honest provider will tell you so on a consultation call rather than after you've paid. But for clients ready to do focused, intentional trauma work, the value often outweighs the upfront number : especially at a transparent $145/hour rate.
Who Is a Good Fit (and Who Isn't)
Christian EMDR intensives tend to help most when you:
Feel stuck despite prayer, insight, or prior therapy
Are struggling with trauma, anxiety, grief, or emotional overwhelm
Experience strong emotional or physical reactions tied to past experiences
Want trauma therapy aligned with your Christian worldview
Live in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, or North Carolina and prefer telehealth
This approach is best suited for adults seeking intentional, structured trauma healing. If a slower weekly pace is genuinely a better fit for you, a good consultation should surface that honestly.
Questions to Ask Before You Pay
To make a confident decision and compare providers fairly, ask any therapist you're considering:
What's the total cost, and how many hours of actual EMDR processing does it include?
Are preparation and integration sessions part of the arrangement?
Is this self-pay, or billed through insurance : and what are the trade-offs?
What's your deposit and cancellation policy?
What are your credentials and EMDR training?
A Note on the Real Cost
There's a cost that rarely makes it onto a pricing page: the cost of waiting. Staying stuck in the same cycle has its own price : in energy, in relationships, in the quality of your days. For some people, weekly therapy is exactly the right pace. For others, the slow drip never quite lets the wound close. Naming which one you are is the start of a useful decision.
If you'd like to talk through whether an intensive fits your situation : and exactly what it would cost in your case : I offer a free 15-minute consultation. No referral needed, no pressure, no obligation.
Schedule a free consultation →
Related Reading:
Frequently Asked Questions:
Question: How much does an EMDR intensive cost in Florida?
Answer: At Richard Forde Counseling, EMDR intensives are $145 per hour, offered in 3-hour blocks at $435 per block, self-pay only. Across the wider Florida market, intensive packages commonly range from roughly $1,500 to $3,000 depending on total hours and the therapist's experience.
Question: Are EMDR intensives covered by insurance?
Answer: These intensives are self-pay and not billed through insurance. Self-pay keeps your care free from session limits, required diagnoses, and third-party authorization, and means you know your exact cost in advance.
Question: Are EMDR intensives worth the cost?
Answer: For clients ready to do focused trauma work, intensives can reach meaningful resolution in fewer total hours than months of weekly sessions, often making them comparable or better value despite the upfront cost.
Question: What's included in an EMDR intensive?
Answer: The arrangement includes preparation and assessment, the extended three-hour EMDR processing sessions, and integration and follow-up. Faith-integrated care is woven in at your pace when desired, never imposed.